1. Which racing driver won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2022?
[A] Max Verstappen
[B] Charles Leclerc
[C] Lewis Hamilton
[D] Sebastien Vettel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Max Verstappen]
Notes:
Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2022. Max Verstappen won the intense battle with Charles Leclerc to take his first victory of the season.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez took third and fourth. George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes while ace driver Lewis Hamilton finished at 10th spot.
2. ‘Mes Aynak site’ and ‘Buddhas of Bamiyan’, which were seen in the news, are located in which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] China
[C] India
[D] Afghanistan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Afghanistan]
Notes:
‘Mes Aynak site’ and ‘Buddhas of Bamiyan’ are located in Afghanistan. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has announced that it would protect the ancient Buddha statues in Mes Aynak.
It is also a copper mine site, where the Taliban are hoping for Chinese investment. When Talibans ruled Afghanistan, they destructed the centuries-old Buddha statues in Bamiyan using artillery, explosives, and rockets. UNESCO included the remains of the Bamiyan Buddhas in its list of world heritage sites in 2003.
3. As per data from the Finance Ministry, what is the estimated amount to be borrowed by India in the first half of 2022-23?
[A] Rs 1.45 trillion
[B] Rs 4.45 trillion
[C] Rs 8.45 trillion
[D] Rs 12.45 trillion
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rs 8.45 trillion]
Notes:
The Finance Ministry announced that the Union government is looking to raise Rs 8.45 lakh crore through borrowings in the first half of 2022-23.
The borrowing is set to be made to fund the revenue gap for reviving the economy. Out of the market borrowing of Rs 14.31 lakh crore estimated for the next financial year, Rs 8.45 lakh crore is planned to be borrowed in the first half or April-September period.
4. India recently signed an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with which country?
[A] Japan
[B] Germany
[C] Australia
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Australia]
Notes:
India and Australia signed an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA). It seeks to provide -duty access to 96 per cent of India’s exports to Australia.
The exports include engineering goods, gems and jewellery, textiles, apparel and leather. The pact is expected to boost bilateral trade in goods and services to USD 45-50 billion over five years and generate over one million jobs in India.
5. Which country saw a rise in illegal online trade of wildlife, as per a recent report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] China
[C] Myanmar
[D] North Korea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Myanmar]
Notes:
A report by the World Wildlife Fund showed that the illegal online trade of wildlife is growing in Myanmar, which is seen as a threat both to public health and to endangered species.
The report found that enforcement of bans on such transactions has weakened amid political crisis following a 2021 military takeover. Out of the 173 species traded, 54 are threatened with global extinction. The animals included elephants, bears and gibbons, Tibetan antelope, critically endangered pangolins and an Asian giant tortoise.
6. Which is the first Indian city to get processed Steel Slag Road?
[A] Varanasi
[B] Surat
[C] Patna
[D] Gandhi Nagar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Surat]
Notes:
Gujarat’s Surat has become the first city in the country to get a processed steel slag (industrial waste) road.
It has been built as part of a joint-venture project by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Union Ministry of Steel, NITI Aayog, and Arcelor-Mitttal-Nippon Steel. The slag is generated from a steel furnace in the form of molten flux material as an impurity.
7. Which Indian state launched ‘She Auto’ stands, to provide safe transport to women and girl students?
[A] Kerala
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] New Delhi
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
The Police Department in Chittoor of Andhra Pradesh has set up ‘She Auto’ stands, the first of its kind in the state.
It aims to provide safe transportation to women and girl students. Tirupati is the first city in the state to set up special auto stands for women.
8. Which Union Ministry oversees the ‘Stand Up India Scheme’?
[A] Ministry of MSME
[B] Ministry of Finance
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Finance]
Notes:
Ministry of Finance oversees the ‘Stand Up India Scheme’, which aims to promote entrepreneurship among women, Scheduled Castes (SC) & Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories, to help them in starting a Greenfield enterprise.
The scheme has completed six years and loans worth more than ₹30,160 crore have been sanctioned in the last six years. Over 1.33 lakh new entrepreneurs have been facilitated and more than 1 lakh women promoters have benefitted from this Scheme during the last six years.
9. When is the ‘International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP)’ observed?
[A] April 4
[B] April 6
[C] April 8
[D] April 10
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [April 6]
Notes:
The ‘International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP)’ is observed across the world on April 6, to highlight the importance of sport in the society.
April 6 was declared by the United Nations General Assembly, as it was the day, the first-ever Modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens. This year, the theme for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is ‘Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sport.’
10. Which institution developed the ‘Positive Pay System (PPS)’ for cheque payment?
[A] National Payments Corporation of India
[B] Reserve Bank of India
[C] NITI Aayog
[D] Ministry of Finance
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [National Payments Corporation of India]
Notes:
Punjab National Bank has recently made the Positive Pay System (PPS) compulsory for cheque payments worth Rs 10 lakh and above.
Under the Positive Pay System (PPS) developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a customer issuing the high-value cheque has to reconfirm some essential details before clearing. It aims to protect the customers from security threats